| 1 | # Visual Styles — Index |
| 2 | |
| 3 | A **visual style** is how the deck **looks** — shape language, decoration density, whitespace rhythm, typographic character, texture / elevation. Resolve **one per deck**; Default locks it, while Quick keeps it only in active context. It anchors the aesthetic of the SVG layout itself (cards, dividers, spacing, corner radius, shadow use). |
| 4 | |
| 5 | > **Styles carry NO fixed HEX and define no palette.** Default core color identity and recurring role behavior live in `design_spec.colors` / `spec_lock.colors` (confirmation `e`); Quick resolves equivalent palette anchors in active context. A visual style describes how those anchors behave in SVG composition and may call for contextual tints, gradients, effects, or material transitions; it does not substitute an unrelated palette. Generated images follow the same anchor model through [`image-renderings/`](../image-renderings/). [`image-palettes/`](../image-palettes/) is legacy compatibility material only. |
| 6 | > |
| 7 | > A visual style is *not* a mode. **Visual style = how it looks; mode = how you argue** (see [`modes/_index.md`](../modes/_index.md)). Resolve them independently — any style pairs with any mode. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | --- |
| 10 | |
| 11 | ## 1. Catalog |
| 12 | |
| 13 | Each style has its own file with: shape & decoration, typography character, color-usage discipline (no HEX), texture / elevation, and the paired image-rendering. Default reads the locked preset file; Quick reads the preset it resolves in active context. A catalog-based `custom` reads every preset actually used as a basis; a novel `custom` reads none. Never glob the directory. The catalog mirrors [`image-renderings`](../image-renderings/_index.md): each style's "Paired rendering" names the illustration family that shares its aesthetic. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | > The **`visual_style` value is only ever a first-column `id`** (`swiss-minimal`, `editorial`, …). The "Paired rendering" column lists **image-rendering** names (`flat`, `minimalist-swiss`, `digital-dashboard`, …) — never treat one of those as the `visual_style`. Default records rendering under confirmation h; Quick keeps the selected rendering only in active context and any required image manifest. |
| 16 | > |
| 17 | > The **`Illus.`** column is each style's spot-illustration propensity — `core` (illustration is intrinsic to the look), `supportive` (use where it lifts, restrained), or `sparse` (the style's lead visual competes; default off). It sets the **default lean** only, for when the user gives no steer: an explicit user request to use / skip illustrations overrides it either way, and `image_usage: none` always writes no illustration rows. Full per-style rule in each file's §6. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | ### 1.1 Corporate / product |
| 20 | |
| 21 | | Visual style | Character | Best for | Paired rendering | Illus. | |
| 22 | |---|---|---|---|---| |
| 23 | | [`swiss-minimal`](./swiss-minimal.md) | Grid-locked, sharp, aggressive whitespace, no decoration | High-end consulting, architecture, type-led | `minimalist-swiss` | sparse | |
| 24 | | [`soft-rounded`](./soft-rounded.md) | Rounded cards, gentle elevation, approachable | Product, SaaS, training, consumer | `flat` | supportive | |
| 25 | | [`glassmorphism`](./glassmorphism.md) | Translucent glass panels, gradient light, floating depth | Modern SaaS, fintech, product launches, AI demos | `glassmorphism` | sparse | |
| 26 | | [`dark-tech`](./dark-tech.md) | Dark canvas, glow accents, geometric precision | Tech, AI, data products, launches | `digital-dashboard` | sparse | |
| 27 | | [`blueprint`](./blueprint.md) | Schematic line work on dark paper, isometric, annotated | Technical briefings, architecture, engineering | `blueprint` | supportive | |
| 28 | |
| 29 | ### 1.2 Editorial / publication |
| 30 | |
| 31 | | Visual style | Character | Best for | Paired rendering | Illus. | |
| 32 | |---|---|---|---|---| |
| 33 | | [`editorial`](./editorial.md) | Magazine hierarchy, rules & columns, serif/sans interplay | Finance, journalism, analysis, explainers | `editorial` | supportive | |
| 34 | | [`photo-editorial`](./photo-editorial.md) | Full-bleed photography dominates, text points & captions | Architecture, design, fashion, culture, photo-led | `corporate-photo` | sparse | |
| 35 | | [`data-journalism`](./data-journalism.md) | Multi-column micro-charts, sidebars, source lines, dense | Finance, market reviews, research, data reports | `editorial` | sparse | |
| 36 | | [`brutalist`](./brutalist.md) | Newsprint density, ruled boxes, raw structure, flat | Annual reviews, research digests, manifestos | `screen-print` / `editorial` | supportive | |
| 37 | |
| 38 | ### 1.3 Expressive / print |
| 39 | |
| 40 | | Visual style | Character | Best for | Paired rendering | Illus. | |
| 41 | |---|---|---|---|---| |
| 42 | | [`memphis`](./memphis.md) | Clashing color blocks, geometric confetti, bold outlines | Festivals, consumer, youth, launch hype | `flat` | core | |
| 43 | | [`zine`](./zine.md) | Riso misregistration, halftone, limited palette, print grit | Culture, design talks, indie brands | `screen-print` | core | |
| 44 | | [`vintage-poster`](./vintage-poster.md) | Mid-century flat blocks, halftone, retro-geometric warmth | Heritage, hospitality, cultural, anniversaries | `vintage-poster` | core | |
| 45 | | [`paper-cut`](./paper-cut.md) | Layered cut-paper sheets, soft inter-layer shadow, tactile | Cultural / folk, children, festival, sustainability | `paper-cut` | core | |
| 46 | |
| 47 | ### 1.4 Hand-drawn / brush |
| 48 | |
| 49 | | Visual style | Character | Best for | Paired rendering | Illus. | |
| 50 | |---|---|---|---|---| |
| 51 | | [`sketch-notes`](./sketch-notes.md) | Warm paper, doodle line work, soft pastel blocks | Education, training, onboarding, knowledge | `sketch-notes` | core | |
| 52 | | [`ink-notes`](./ink-notes.md) | Pale field, black hand-ink, sparse semantic accent | Methodology, before/after, manifestos | `ink-notes` | supportive | |
| 53 | | [`chalkboard`](./chalkboard.md) | Dark slate, chalk strokes, powdery pastel accents | Teaching, tutorials, classroom, academic | `chalkboard` | core | |
| 54 | | [`ink-wash`](./ink-wash.md) | Rice-paper whitespace, brush marks, seal accent, still | Cultural, philosophy, heritage, 新中式 | `ink-notes` / `watercolor` | supportive | |
| 55 | |
| 56 | ### 1.5 Specialty |
| 57 | |
| 58 | | Visual style | Character | Best for | Paired rendering | Illus. | |
| 59 | |---|---|---|---|---| |
| 60 | | [`pixel-art`](./pixel-art.md) | Strict pixel grid, blocky forms, limited palette, flat | Gaming, retro-tech, nostalgic, game-flavored | `pixel-art` | core | |
| 61 | |
| 62 | --- |
| 63 | |
| 64 | ## 2. Auto-selection — content vibe / industry → style |
| 65 | |
| 66 | | Signal | Recommended style | Alternates | |
| 67 | |---|---|---| |
| 68 | | High-end consulting / architecture / luxury / minimal | `swiss-minimal` | `editorial` | |
| 69 | | Finance / journalism / research / long-form analysis | `editorial` | `data-journalism` | |
| 70 | | Photography-led / architecture / design / fashion / 大图 | `photo-editorial` | `editorial` | |
| 71 | | Data report / market review / 财经 / Bloomberg / Economist | `data-journalism` | `editorial` | |
| 72 | | Product / SaaS / training / consumer / friendly | `soft-rounded` | `editorial` | |
| 73 | | Modern SaaS / fintech / health-tech / premium app | `glassmorphism` | `dark-tech` | |
| 74 | | Tech / AI / dev tools / data / futuristic | `dark-tech` | `glassmorphism` | |
| 75 | | Cultural / philosophy / heritage / 新中式 / 东方 | `ink-wash` | `editorial` | |
| 76 | | Engineering / systems / architecture walkthrough | `blueprint` | `dark-tech` | |
| 77 | | Annual review / manifesto / max-density editorial | `brutalist` | `editorial` | |
| 78 | | Festival / consumer brand / youth / loud launch | `memphis` | `soft-rounded` | |
| 79 | | Indie publishing / design / culture / printed feel | `zine` | `editorial` | |
| 80 | | Heritage / hospitality / retro brand / 老字号 / 周年 | `vintage-poster` | `zine` | |
| 81 | | Cultural / folk / festival / children / sustainability | `paper-cut` | `sketch-notes` | |
| 82 | | Education / training / onboarding / 教学 | `sketch-notes` | `paper-cut` | |
| 83 | | Methodology / before-after / manifesto / 方法论 | `ink-notes` | `editorial` | |
| 84 | | Classroom / tutorial / academic / 课堂 | `chalkboard` | `sketch-notes` | |
| 85 | | Gaming / retro / 8-bit / 复古游戏 | `pixel-art` | `vintage-poster` | |
| 86 | |
| 87 | > When the deck has AI images, align style with rendering: a `swiss-minimal` layout reads best with a `minimalist-swiss` rendering, so page and illustrations share one aesthetic. The "Paired rendering" column is the default pairing; override when content demands. |
| 88 | > |
| 89 | > Not every image-rendering becomes its own visual style. A rendering earns a layout twin only when it defines a whole-page layout language (shape, whitespace, composition, texture) — not merely how an inserted image looks. Purely atmospheric renderings (`nature`, `warm-scene`, `fantasy-animation`) stay imagery-only: they pair with whichever layout style fits rather than being one. (Note the distinction `photo-editorial` draws: photography as a *rendering* is image-look, but photo-*led composition* is a real layout language — so the style exists, paired with `corporate-photo`.) |
| 90 | |
| 91 | --- |
| 92 | |
| 93 | ## 3. Escape hatch — `custom` |
| 94 | |
| 95 | Default Stage 2 always authors one visible, non-empty AI custom proposal beside the preset spectrum. Its paragraph names shape language, composition geometry (page-scale moves), decoration density, whitespace, typographic character, and texture — **no HEX, no color names as values**. The proposal is initially unselected and remains recommendation-only unless the user chooses it; a template-backed proposal must stay inside the inherited identity and confirmed application plan. When selected, record the edited aesthetic in the Design Spec first, then project `- visual_style: custom` plus `- visual_style_behavior:` to `spec_lock.md`. The candidate is mandatory; selecting `custom` remains a tail-case, not the default. |
| 96 | |
| 97 | Quick does not author or display a candidate spectrum. It resolves the best-fit preset directly, or one custom behavior only when no preset fits, reads every catalog source actually used as a basis, and persists nothing. |
| 98 | |
| 99 | **Mandatory — read every catalog source actually used**: If a custom direction combines or borrows existing styles, name their exact ids and read each corresponding file before synthesizing its shape, composition, typography, whitespace, and texture rules. Default persists those ids as `visual_style_references`; Quick retains them only in active context. Do not attach references merely because they are adjacent in the catalog. A genuinely new aesthetic reads no catalog source. |
| 100 | |
| 101 | --- |
| 102 | |
| 103 | ## 4. How to use |
| 104 | |
| 105 | | Active profile | Use | |
| 106 | |---|---| |
| 107 | | Default Generate | Strategist reads this index at confirmation `d. Layer 2`, authors the required spectrum/custom candidate, records the confirmed style in `design_spec.md`, and projects it to `spec_lock.md`; Executor reads the locked preset or exact custom references | |
| 108 | | Quick Generate | The current main agent reads this index, resolves the best-fit preset or one warranted custom behavior without interaction, reads only the exact preset source(s) actually used, and keeps the result in active context without Design Spec/lock | |
| 109 | |
| 110 | **Resolution scope**: deck-wide (one style per deck). It anchors taste as a **reference**, not a whitelist — pages may deviate with reason. |
| 111 |